


press 2

by tisapear



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Genre: M/M, POV Multiple, POV Outsider, Post-Advent Children (Compilation of FFVII), Reno does get paid enough for dealing with Cloud's bullshit but it doesn't mean he likes it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:47:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26120626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tisapear/pseuds/tisapear
Summary: "Why do ya want me to dig up your old Shin-Ra PHS storage anyway?"
Relationships: Zack Fair/Cloud Strife
Comments: 19
Kudos: 120





	press 2

" _Meet me in the middle of nowhere, bring your laptop_ —yeah, totally doesn't sound like you're about to kill me."

Cloud ignores him, at first, but of course Mr. tough guy notices when Reno stops typing. 'Cause he doesn't like that. _Really_ doesn't like that. Lets him know so, too, wordlessly stares at Reno, spooky mako-glow burning into him and all. "What would I even do with your stupid laptop," Cloud says eventually, less a question and more a statement, _don't be stupid_ , followed by a short scoff like it pains him to utter even that much.

"Dunno, man, sell it? Steal company secrets?" Reno spreads his hands for the other to see, _how should **I** know._

Cloud mutters something, sounds suspiciously like, _Gotta have a company to have secrets,_ but Reno chooses to act like he didn't hear that, because, ouch. Prissy bitch isn't pulling any punches today, is he?

Reno shakes his head. Back to work, then. Can't really concentrate, though, with the moronic world hero running circles into the ground in front of him, constantly sighing and generally making a distracting nuisance of himself. Reno sighs, looks heavenwards. 

"Why do ya want me to dig up your old Shin-Ra PHS storage anyway?" 

"None of your business." 

"Hm, well then, maybe I can make it mine by, oh, I don't know, not doing as you want? That make it my business?" 

Must be a half-second-blink, not more, Reno can swear to that, but suddenly there's a hand around his throat, gloved fingers digging in, definitely leaving bruises. 

Ah. Doesn't even bother pulling that fancy new sword of his. Must be _real_ agitated, then, Reno thinks, can't help the sardonic smirk even while Cloud's trying his damndest to suffocate him.

"Shut _up_ ," Cloud hisses, not unlike one of those monsters he's always so intent on slaying, "and do as you're _told._ " Tightens his hold for just a second, for good measure, before he releases Reno to fall back down on the crate he's been sitting on. Adds, since he _is_ nothing but a kid playing at functional human being, "Or you can find yourself another convenient delivery boy."

"Tsk." Reno would like nothing better than show the little twerp who's boss, but sadly—Cloud's got the upper hand here. Even two years after the world went to shit, there's still monsters everywhere. And Shin-Ra's got camps set up all over the world, with no other way of getting things from point A to B without losing some serious manpower and goods. 

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Forced to work with novices (wannabe SOLDIER, pretends he actually made it big, real fucking pathetic) who think they're hot shit just 'cause they saved the world once or twice.

Whatever the asshole's so desperate to get his hands on, it better be good. Probably isn't, though, more likely just his old Shin-Ra sweetheart's nudes or something. Would at least explain why he's been ignoring the chick always hanging off his arm that's so obviously got the hots for him. 

_Woe is me, my one true love is dead,_ Reno thinks wrily, dares a quick glance at Cloud who's just leaning against his own crate now, sole of his boot tapping against its side. 

'Course the guy's got to have a dead love interest. To round up the whole tragic hero image and all. 

Finishing with a few quick types, he disconnects the PHS and throws it at Cloud, who catches it easily without looking. Damn show-off. 

"There, should all be on there. Careful not to delete anything, though, 'cause I sure as hell won't dig it up again." 

Shuts his laptop and puts it under one arm, dusts his pants off with the other. Tch, of course the fucker had to insist on meeting up somewhere sandy, since a nice meadow just wouldn't do for his loner type image. 

"Don't call me again if you need help," Reno throws over his shoulder as he's leaving, but the guy's not even listening; is instead intently staring at his PHS, eyes unblinking. Like he wouldn't notice a Weapon if the damn thing decided to land right next to him. 

Reno sneers. "Better be some good fucking nudes."

* * *

_"Heya, Spikes!"_

Air in his throat. Tries not to choke on it, feeble attempt. Clenches his teeth together, hears them grind. Hurts, but gods, the pain is grounding him. Stay in the present, _I can't lose you to the past, Cloud, I don't have anyone else,_ Tifa's hands clutching one of his own, nails digging in, eyes so desperate. 

Most days Cloud isn't sure he made it down that cliff in the first place. Could just be his meatsuit wandering the streets, hollow inside, nothing to show for it. 

Ghosts don't make for good housemates, Tifa. 

Eyes tightly shut, shaky exhale cracking his heart open. Sits against Fenrir, sand in his boots, PHS pressed against his ear with so much force, the thing could become part of his head any second.

Revisiting the past, seeking closure. _If I can just hear his voice one last time_ —maybe if he repeats the phrase often enough, it will ring true by the time Tifa finds out. 

_"Yeah, yeah, I know, you told me to limit voice messages to one per day, but I got a real good reason this time! .........And it's totally not the same as last time, though I stand by it; you **had** to check your mails ASAP, that dog was just too cute!"_

Warm laughter, breaking his frozen ribs one by one. Too bad there's no one to put them back together again, since Cloud himself hasn't tried to fix his sorrows in years. 

_"I gotta take a raincheck on our date today. Sorry, sunshine! Seph said we need another day to check things out here, and you know how he is when he gets all serious. Gotta triple check everything, the old perfectionist."_

Exeggarated sigh, so-done flavor. Faulty mind, memory lapses, yet Cloud can still perfectly picture the all-effort eye roll, hand propped against one hip, feet wide apart. 

His breath hitches, words untold painful in his throat, and he bites down on his lip, shakes his head. Has to open his eyes or the ghosts will get to him. 

(—and he'd let them. It's hard to refuse one's own greatest desire, even when he's doing it for his loved ones.) 

_"But I'll definitely be back by tomorrow! And then I'm gonna take you to the cute little café Cissnei showed me and make you love those tiny curd cheese pockets, and if it's the last thing I'll ever do!"_

He had. They had been delicious, Zack feeding them to him one by one, embarrassing him yet not relenting, fingers sweet and sticky with the cool quark-filling.

It was a good date. The best. 

The last, before, 

_("The last thing I'll ever do.")_

_"Bye-bye! Love you!"_

He swallows. Two syllables, bittersweet on his tongue; _love-you_ , lets the letters sew the torn parts of his heart back together, seemingly fixed yet always so open for new reminders. 

Raw, infected, can't claw the pain out no matter how hard he scratches.

Hand with his phone falls uselessly into his lap, click-clack as it meets the metal of his belt. Bumbling-fool fingers as he tries to hit the right keys, shit, no good, clearly outdated PHS stands no chance against his shaky movements. Anger, hot and white and sudden, flooding his heartstrings, useless piece of shit, raises his arm to _smash_ the damn thing—

Fuck, no, he can't, oh gods, what is he thinking, what was he just about to do, not when he just got him back—

Bites one finger, pulls the glove off. Ah, better; one-two-three clicks and he's raising the phone up again, _beep-beep_ in his ear. 

_"Why hello there, future Mr. Fair!"_

_"You won't believe what just happened."_

_"Babe, I just saw the **cutest** thing **ever** —" _

_"Hey—"_

_"Love ya!"_

_"Love you to the moon and back."_

_"—love of my life."_

_"—love you"_

_"I love—"_

_"—love—_

_"I love you."_

Tears on his cheeks, moonlight-glister; he doesn't notice the cold the dark has brought, seeping into his bones, nor the concerned calls he keeps mindlessly dismissing. 

_"Hey, Cloud."_

**Author's Note:**

> Cloud and the art of not moving on


End file.
